Bead feeder

ABSTRACT

A bead feeder serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprises a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageway connected to rotate with the bowl and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads. A plurality of openings in the bead supply bowl is spaced around a lower portion thereof with the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending passageways each of which has an outer exit end. A metering plate is connected to rotate about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel, and metering plate has a plurality of equally spaced apart openings directly below the outer ends of the passageways for receiving the lowermost beads in the passageways. The metering plate rotates at a slightly slower or slightly faster speed than the bead supply wheel so that vertical alignment of an outer exit end of a particular passageway and an opening in the metering plate only occurs once for each revolution of the bead supply wheel. A drop off is provided for the removal of beads away from the metering plate.

CROSS REFERENCE RELATED TO APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/992,506, filed Dec. 5, 2007, for all useful purposes, and the specification and drawings thereof are included herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bead feeder, and more particularly to a machine the feeds generally spherical beads from a bulk supply to a downstream location such as the interior space of a plug-space-plug cigarette filter during filter production.

A variety of cigarette filters have been proposed over the years, and many of these filters include granular filter materials particularly in so-called plug-space-plug filter arrangements. In these filter arrangements spaced apart plugs, usually made of cellulose acetate, define a cavity or space therebetween which is filled with granulated material, such as granulated carbon as well as other materials. For example, beaded material has also been proposed for introduction into the space of a plug-space-plug filter arrangement. The actual filing of the space may be in a horizontal manner and in other instances the filling operation is vertically oriented. Also, as an alternative to a charge of granules or beads, larger beads may be fed to the space between the cellulose acetate plugs, with one bead introduced into each space or cavity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is a bead feeder that functions to serially delivery beads from a bulk supply to a downstream location in a highly efficient manner.

Another object of the present invention is a bead feeder that transports beads from a bulk supply to a space or cavity in a cigarette filter during filter production.

Still another object of the present invention is a bead feeder which operates at a high speed in a simple and trouble free manner.

In accordance with the present invention, a bead feeder comprises a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl that delivers beads to a plurality of radially arranged and outwardly extending transfer passageways connected to rotate with the bowl. The bowl includes a plurality of discharge openings spaced around a lower portion thereof and each opening is in alignment with one of radially and outwardly extending passageways. The passageways guide the beads one after another in a line in a downstream direction.

The bead feeder further includes a feed plate positioned directly below the outer exit ends of the passageways for receiving a lowermost bead from the single line of beads in each passageway. The feed plate includes a plurality of pockets or openings for receiving the beads, and the feed plate is connected to rotate with the bead supply wheel at the same rotational speed.

A metering plate is positioned directly below the feed plate, and the metering plate rotates about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel and the feed plate. Openings in the metering plate receive beads from the pockets or openings of the feed plate. The metering plate rotates slightly slower or slightly faster than the feed plate so that alignment and transfer of beads into the openings of the metering wheel only occurs once for each opening and each revolution of the feed plate. Discharge of a bead from its respective opening in the metering plate occurs at a transfer point, along the path of travel of the metering plate.

A bead transfer wheel may be provided to receive the beads from the metering plate. The transfer wheel rotates on a horizontal axis, and spaced apart pockets on the outer circumference of the wheel receive the beads from the metering plate as they fall away at the transfer point of the metering wheel. Vacuum may be used to draw and hold the beads in the pockets of the transfer wheel until the beads are released from the wheel.

In one application on the present invention, a moving garniture is in alignment with and directly below the bead transfer wheel. The garniture transports filter paper with equally spaced apart plugs on the paper, and the downstream location to which the beads are delivered comprises the spaces or cavities between the plugs. The bead transfer wheel functions to deliver a single bead to each such cavity. A stationary stripper adjacent the bead transfer wheel functions to assist in removal of the beads from the wheel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those mentioned above will be readily apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bead feeder, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along line 2A-2A of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring in more particularity to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2 and 2A illustrate a bead feeder 10 for serially delivering beads 12 to a downstream location. As explained more fully below such downstream location may be the space or cavity between spaced apart cellulose acetate plugs in the production of so-called plug-space-plug cigarette filters. Throughout the detailed description the term bead is utilized which is intended to include spherical configurations as well as spherically ended components.

The bead feeder 10 of the present invention comprises a bead supply wheel 14 connected to rotate about a substantially vertical axis 16. The bead supply wheel includes a bead supply bowl 18 and a plurality of radially and outwardly extended tubes or bead passageways 20 connected to rotate with the bowl 18 and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads from the bowl. A plurality of discharge openings 22 in the bead supply bowl 18 are spaced around the lower portion of the bowl with the openings 22 in alignment with the radially and outwardly passageways 22. Each of the passageways 20 has an outer exit end 24. A stationary brush 25 may be positioned within the bowl 18 to mix the beads 12.

A feed plate 26 is positioned directly below the outer exit ends 24 of the passageways 20 for receiving a lowermost bead 12 from the single line of beads in each passageway. The lowermost bead 12 in each passageway is received within pockets 28 in the feed plate, and the plate is connected to rotate with the bead supply wheel 14 at the same rotational speed.

A metering plate 30 is positioned directly below the feed plate 26, and the metering plate also rotates about the vertical axis 16. The metering plate 30 includes a plurality of openings 32 equally spaced apart in a circle directly below the pockets of the feed plate with an equal number of pockets 28 and openings 32. However, the metering plate 30 is connected to rotate at a slightly slower or slightly faster speed than the feed plate 26 so that vertical alignment of a pocket 28 with an opening 32 only occurs once during each revolution of the feed plate. That point of alignment is shown in FIG. 2 where the lowermost bead 12 in one pocket of the feed plate drops into an aligned opening 32 of the metering plate. The point of vertical alignment between a pocket 28 and opening 32 occurs about 10° to 30° before the bead is removed from the metering plate.

Each opening 32 of the metering plate is sized to receive a single bead, and vacuum 33 may be supplied to the opening to assist in the transfer from the feed plate. Otherwise the beads in the pockets of the feed plate engage the surface of the metering plate 30 between successive openings until the next alignment of the pocket 28 with an opening 32 after approximately one full rotation of the feed plate. As explained above, such alignment may occur slightly before a transfer of beads away from the metering plate 30, about 10° to 30° before the transfer point.

A stationary dead plate 34 is positioned directly below metering plate 30 and the beads already in the openings 32 of the metering plate roll along or otherwise engage the dead plate as the metering plate rotates about the vertical axis 16. The dead plate includes a drop-off at the transfer point of beads away from the metering plate through which the beads in the openings 32 drop for subsequent delivery of the beads to a downstream location. This position is shown in FIG. 2A. If vacuum 33 is applied to the openings 32 to assist in transfer of the beads from the feed plate 26 and to hold the beads within the openings 32, the vacuum is vented to atmosphere at the drop-off.

The bead feeder 10 also includes a bead transfer wheel 36 below the dead plate 34 connected to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis 38. The transfer wheel 36 includes equally spaced apart exterior pockets 40 on the circumferences of the wheel for receiving beads 12 from the metering plate 30 as they fall through the drop-off in the dead plate 34. The dead plate is notched-out to receive the upper portion of the transfer wheel, and at the bead transfer point shown in FIG. 2A, the outer surface of the transfer wheel is at the same elevation as top surface of the dead plate and the lower surface of the metering plate.

Vacuum may be connected to selected pockets 40 to effect deposit of the beads into the pockets and ultimate removal from the bead transfer wheel.

In one application of the present invention a moving garniture 42 of a machine for producing cigarette filters is in alignment with and directly below the bead transfer wheel 36. The garniture 42 functions to transport filter paper 44 with equally spaced apart plugs 46 on the paper. Alternatively, the plugs 46 could be unevenly spaced apart, and in that case the delivery wheel pitch would be designed to synchronize with the cavities between the plugs. The plugs 44 may be made of cellulose acetate with appropriate binder, but other plug materials are equally acceptable depending upon the desired cigarette filter construction. The downstream location to which the beads 12 are delivered by the bead transfer wheel 36 of the bead feeder 10 comprise cavities or spaces 48 between the plugs 46. Ultimately after a bead is inserted into a cavity 48, the garniture functions to close the filter paper around the plugs and the beads, and after sealing the paper with adhesive along the longitudinal edges thereof the continuous filter composite is cut into individual plug-space-plug filters which are subsequently joined to wrapped tobacco rods.

A stationary stripper 50 may be positioned as shown in FIG. 1 adjacent the bead transfer wheel 18. The stripper is constructed and arranged to remove beads 12 from the pockets 40 of the bead transfer wheel 36. Additionally, the stripper may function to interrupt the vacuum supply to the pockets 40 to assist in removal of the beads from the pockets and discharge thereof into the cavities 48. A single bead is delivered to each of the cavities.

Any suitable drive mechanism may be utilized to rotate the bead supply wheel 13 and the bead transfer wheel 36. Also, the drive mechanism functions to rotate the metering plate at a slightly faster or slower speed than the bead supply wheel 14, for the reasons discussed above. 

1. A bead feeder for serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprising: a bead supply wheel connected to rotate about a substantially vertical axis; the bead supply wheel including a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageways connected to rotate with the bowl and dimensioned to receive a single line of beads from the bowl; a plurality of discharge openings in the bead supply bowl spaced around a lower portion thereof with the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending passageways; each of the passageways having an outer exit end; a metering plate connected to rotate about the same vertical axis as the bead supply wheel; the metering plate having a plurality of equally spaced apart openings directly below the outer exit ends of the passageways for receiving the lowermost beads in the passageways; the metering plate rotating at a slightly slower or slightly faster speed than the bead supply wheel so that vertical alignment of an outer exit end of a particular passageway and an opening in the metering plate only occurs once for each revolution of the bead supply wheel; and a drop-off for removal of beads away from the metering plate.
 2. A bead feeder as in claim 1 including a bead transfer wheel below the drop-off connected to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis, the transfer wheel having spaced apart exterior pockets on circumferential portions thereof for receiving the beads from the drop-off.
 3. A bead feeder as in claim 2 including a moving garniture in alignment with and directly below the transfer wheel; the garniture transporting filter paper with equally spaced apart plugs on the paper; and wherein the downstream locations to which the beads are delivered comprise cavities between the plugs.
 4. A bead feeder as in claim 3 wherein the transfer wheel is constructed and arranged to deliver a single bead to each cavity.
 5. A bead feeder as in claim 2 including a stationary stripper adjacent the bead transfer wheel constructed and arranged to remove beads from the bead transfer wheel at the downstream location.
 6. A method of serially delivering beads to a downstream location comprising: rotating a bead supply wheel about a substantially vertical axis; the rotating step including rotating a bead supply bowl and a plurality of radially and outwardly extending bead passageways connected to rotate with the bowl; delivering a single line of beads through a plurality of discharge openings in the bead supply bowl spaced around a lower portion thereof while maintaining the openings in alignment with the radially and outwardly extending bead passageways; serially positioning the lowermost bead in each passageway into one of a plurality of openings in a rotating metering plate; rotating the metering plate slightly slower or slightly faster than the rotational speed of the bead passageways so that vertical alignment of the lowermost bead in a particular passageway and one of the plurality of openings in the metering plate only occurs once for each revolution of the passageways; and dropping the beads in the metering plate away from plate.
 7. A method as in claim 6 further including the step of: rotating a bead transfer wheel about a substantially horizontal axis constructed such that beads dropping from the metering plate are received by the transfer wheel and serially delivered to the downstream location. 